Director of Major Gifts & Advancement

Job Description

Job Description

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut

Since 1966 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut has been changing the lives of children across Connecticut. As an independent 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the nation’s oldest youth mentoring organization, the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Through the excellence of our programs and the commitment of our volunteers and staff, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut is recognized widely as the “face” of child and youth mentoring in the state of Connecticut. Each year, BBBS of CT offers high-quality mentoring services to approximately 1,00 children and youth across Connecticut

Please note, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut is based in Hartford, CT, but encourages applicants from across the State of Connecticut for this hybrid position .

About the Position

The Director of Major Gifts & Advancement will focus on growing the organization’s impact and revenues by cultivating major donors, key stakeholders, event sponsors and attendees so that all are dedicated to expanding the agency’s capacity to serve children in need. The Director of Major Gifts & Advancement will focus primarily on cultivating major individual donors, secondarily on overseeing agency special events. They will work in close collaboration with other agency development staff, prospective major donors, event committee members, Board members, active volunteers, alumni volunteers, community partners and sponsors. Reporting to the President & CEO and working in collaboration with others on the development team, they need to be relationship-oriented, collaborative and also comfortable working independently in a fast-paced work environment. They will build a pipeline of donors and engage donor prospects in one-to-one meetings. They will also work with event committees to ensure outstanding design and execution of agency fundraising, cultivation, and stewardship events.

Key Responsibilities:

• In concert with the President & CEO and other personnel, plan and execute a major donor development strategy designed to strengthen BBBS of CT’s revenues via cultivation of new donors and stewardship of existing supporters.
• Work with staff to ensure timely entry of donor and sponsor data, swift acknowledgements and accurate financial reports.
• Build and manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, developing cultivation and solicitation strategies for each individual.
• Conduct research on prospective donors, identifying opportunities for collaboration and fundraising.
• Oversee agency events: Annual Gala, Golf Tournaments, Bowl for Kids’ Sake, Bigs of the Year Awards, and other cultivation and stewardship events.
• Develop and implement strategies, systems, and best practices to ensure agency events are exceptional occasions showcasing the positive impact of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut’s programming on young people across the state.
• Work collaboratively with the President & CEO, Marketing Manager, and other agency leaders to create mission-focused third-party events that foster a clear understanding of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ impact as a leading youth development agency in Connecticut.
• Work with agency and board leadership, as well as independently, to identify and recruit event chairs and committee members to assist with sponsorship outreach and event marketing/promotion.
• Provide leadership and oversight for event committees and ensure committee members have the resources necessary to be successful solicitors and supporters.
• Develop approaches to cultivating event attendees and related individuals, so that they become part of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ network of ongoing donors and supporters.

Salary:

• To be determined, commensurate with applicant’s skillsets and experience.

Qualifications:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or comparable experience
• Minimum of three years of experience in a nonprofit development environment
• Experience with cultivation and stewardship of individual donors
• History of success in soliciting and stewarding major gifts
• Experience with event planning and execution

Other Qualifications

• Ability to lead, establish strategic objectives, develop workplans and execute such plans
• Ability to set priorities and coordinate multiple projects
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment as well as independently
• Strong personal and professional integrity; must be able to handle confidential information
• Ability to develop, forge, and maintain strong interpersonal relationships with agency stakeholders and expand Big Brothers Big Sisters of CT’s overall donor and supporter base.
• Ability to perform well in a fast-paced, multi-task work environment
• Ability to travel within Connecticut, and to work at evening and weekend events on occasion
• Ability to effectively manage staff and volunteers, providing guidance and keeping others motivated and enthusiastic
• Strong computer skills including publishing, spreadsheet / database management. Experience with Little Green Light, BetterUnite, Greater Giving, Classy, DonorSearch, development platforms preferred
• Strong oral and written communication/presentation skills, including the ability to articulate Big Brothers Big Sisters’ inspiring mission and vision
• A performance-driven, enthusiastic personal style